There’s a difference between a defense that intimidates an opponent and a defense that merely stops an opponent. The Knicks mastered both techniques in the past several years and are currently in the midst of a stunning defensive run fueled by athleticism, not brute force.

Heading into last night’s game against the high-scoring Timberwolves, the Knicks were setting a standard for defense that blew away their own dominance in the Pat Riley days. They are allowing a miserly 78.8 points a game, which is nearly four points better than anyone else in the NBA. Four times in their first 10 games, the Knicks held their opponent under 70 points. In their history, the Knicks accomplished that defensive feat only five times prior to this season’s vise-grip attack.

Of course, the post-lockout offensive woes seen around the entire league has something to do with the shrinking scores and the Knicks’ defensive prowess, but there is no denying that the Knicks are an unyielding team excelling with a different style.

The Knicks, led by the fierce play of Charles Oakley, used to play bully defense, using their bodies like tackling dummies as they bludgeoned anyone that dared to venture into the lane. They are at present more of a finesse defense, relying on the shot-blocking ability of Patrick Ewing and newcomer Marcus Camby to send shots flying and make would-be scorers change the trajectory of their shots.

“What we lost with Oak was the physical presence, the dominance, fear when guys came in the lane. It wasn’t about blocking shots, it was about putting you to the ground,” said Chris Childs, a strong defender from the backcourt. “Now the defensive philosophy is a little different, we’re still in the same mind-frame of no easy layups, but in the form of blocking your shot instead of putting you to the floor.”

Ewing has always been a one-man gang when it comes to blocking shots. The closest thing to an athletic shot-blocker the Knicks ever put alongside their All-Star center was Charles Smith. Camby certainly has deficiencies in his game, but he is a superb shot-blocker. In limited time, Camby already has 15 blocked shots.

There have been complains all season that the low scores and poor shooting around the league has made for a sub-standard product. The Knicks were 7-3 and the Timberwolves were 8-2 prior to last night’s game, but while Minnesota is one of the NBA’s most entertaining teams, the Knicks through 10 games were winning games but not admirers.